Program Features Stravinsky's Firebird, Birtwistle's Night's Black Bird and Beethoven's Piano Concerto No. 3

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 16, 2006, AT 8 PM

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 17, AT 11 AM

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 18, AT 8 PM

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 19, AT 2 PM

The February 19 Concert is Sponsored by KCET

Christoph Von Dohnányi, recognized as one of the world's pre-eminent conductors, leads the Los Angeles Philharmonic in a program of works by Birtwistle, Beethoven and Stravinsky with pianist Yefim Bronfman, on Thursday, February 16, 2006 at 8 p.m., Friday, February 17 at 11 a.m., Saturday, February 18 at 8 p.m., and Sunday, February 19 at 2 p.m., at Walt Disney Concert Hall.

Bronfman, whose commanding technique and exceptional lyrical gifts have won him consistent critical acclaim and enthusiastic audiences worldwide, performs Beethoven's dramatic Piano Concerto No. 3. The concert also features Stravinsky's Firebird (complete) and Night's Black Bird by Harrison Birtwistle, one of Britain's most acclaimed composers. Night's Black Bird was commissioned for the Lucerne Festival and was first performed there in 2004 by Franz Welser-Möst and The Cleveland Orchestra.

KUSC Radio host Alan Chapman discusses the concert program at "Upbeat Live," a free event open to all ticket holders held one hour before each performance in BP Hall (except on Friday, February 17 when it will begin at 9:45 a.m.).

CHRISTOPH VON DOHNÁNYI, conductor, has held opera directorships in Frankfurt and Hamburg as well as principal orchestral conducting posts in Germany, London and Paris, and has made guest appearances with the major opera houses and orchestras of Europe and North America. Dohnányi completed his tenure as Music Director of the Cleveland Orchestra in 2002, a post he assumed in 1984. During those years, he led the orchestra in 1000 concerts, 15 international tours, 24 premieres, and recorded over 100 works. Dohnányi was named Music Director Laureate in Cleveland in 2002/03. He continues his Music Directorship with the NDR Symphony in Hamburg, leading concerts there and on tour in Europe, South America and Japan; and his post as Principal Conductor of the London Philharmonia, which he leads in its home city and in Paris. Dohnányi has frequently conducted at the world's great opera houses, including Covent Garden, La Scala, Vienna State Opera, Berlin, Paris, San Francisco, and Chicago. He has been a frequent guest conductor with the Vienna Philharmonic at the Salzburg Festival, leading the world premieres of Henze's Die Bassariden and Cerha's Baal. Dohnányi also appears with the Zurich Opera. He has made many critically acclaimed recordings for London/Decca with the Cleveland Orchestra and the Vienna Philharmonic. With Vienna, he has recorded a variety of symphonic works and a number of operas, including Beethoven's Fidelio, Berg's Wozzeck and Lulu, Schoenberg's Erwartung, Strauss' Salome, and Wagner's The Flying Dutchman. With the Cleveland Orchestra, his large and varied discography includes Wagner's Die Walküre and Das Rheingold; the complete symphonies of Beethoven, Brahms and Schumann; symphonies by Bruckner, Dvorák, Mahler, Mozart, Schubert, and Tchaikovsky; and among many others, works by Bartók, Berlioz, Ives, Varèse, and Webern.

Pianist YEFIM BRONFMAN is renowned worldwide for his solo recitals, his prestigious orchestral engagements and his rapidly growing catalog of recordings. Bronfman recently completed a duo recital tour and recording for EMI with flutist Emmanuel Pahud, a tour of Germany with the Tonhalle Orchestra and David Zinman, a duo recording with Nikolaj Znaider for Sony BMG, and an appearance in Chicago with the Emerson Quartet. Other recent highlights include a duo recital tour of the United States with pianist Emanuel Ax; a performance with the Kirov Orchestra and Valery Gergiev at Carnegie Hall; and concerts with the Vienna Philharmonic and Valery Gergiev in Japan and with Sir Charles Mackerras in Salzburg and Amsterdam. As a special project, he recorded Beethoven's 3rd and 4th Piano Concertos and the Triple Concerto with violinist Gil Shaham, cellist Truls Mork, and the Tönhalle Orchestra Zürich under David Zinman as the first in a series of the complete Beethoven concertos for the Arte Nova/BMG label. Bronfman has also given numerous solo recitals in the leading halls of North America, Europe and the Far East, including acclaimed debuts at Carnegie Hall in 1989 and Avery Fisher Hall in 1993. In 1991 he gave a series of joint recitals with Isaac Stern in Russia, marking Bronfman's first public performances there since his emigration to Israel at age 15. That same year he was awarded the prestigious Avery Fisher Prize, one of the highest honors given to American instrumentalists. An exclusive Sony Classical recording artist, Bronfman has won widespread praise for his numerous solo, chamber and orchestral recordings. He won a Grammy award in 1997 for his recording of the three Bartók Piano Concertos with Esa-Pekka Salonen and the Los Angeles Philharmonic. Bronfman became an American citizen in 1989.

The Los Angeles Philharmonic Association, under Music Director Esa-Pekka Salonen, presents the finest in orchestral and chamber music, recitals, new music, jazz, world music and holiday concerts at two of the most remarkable places anywhere to experience music - Walt Disney Concert Hall and the Hollywood Bowl. In addition to a 30-week winter subscription season at Walt Disney Concert Hall, the LA Phil presents a 12-week summer festival at the legendary Hollywood Bowl, summer home of the Los Angeles Philharmonic and home of the Hollywood Bowl Orchestra. In fulfilling its commitment to the community, the Association's involvement with Los Angeles extends to educational programs, community concerts and children's programming, ever seeking to provide inspiration and delight to the broadest possible audience.

EDITORS PLEASE NOTE:

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 16, 2006, at 8 PM

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 17, at 11 AM

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 18, at 8 PM

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 19, at 2 PM

WALT DISNEY CONCERT HALL, 111 S. Grand Avenue, Los Angeles

LOS ANGELES PHILHARMONIC

CHRISTOPH VON DOHNÁNYI, conductor

YEFIM BRONFMAN, piano

BIRTWISTLE Night's Black Bird

BEETHOVEN Piano Concerto No. 3

STRAVINSKY Firebird (complete)

The February 19 Concert is Sponsored by KCET

Tickets ($16 -$129) are on sale now at the Walt Disney Concert Hall box office, online at LAPhil.com, or via credit card phone order at 323.850.2000. A limited number of $10 rush tickets for seniors and full time students may be available at the Walt Disney Concert Hall box office two hours prior to the performance. Valid identification is required; one ticket per person; cash only. Groups of 12 or more may be eligible for special discounts for selected concerts and seating areas. For all information, please call 323.850.2000.

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